Overview

The 40th-anniversary edition of the first Dirk Pitt adventure from the #1 New York Times–bestselling author and grand master of adventure.

When Clive Cussler published his first novel in 1973, he knew he didn’t want to write a familiar kind of character—no spy or detective or undercover investigator— his hero would have grand adventures set on or under water. He named him Dirk Pitt, and his organization the National Underwater and Marine Agency, or NUMA—and one of the world’s most beloved series characters was born.

Now in a special 40th-anniversary edition, complete with endpaper maps and a new foreword from Cussler, here is the book that started it all, filled with every one of the Cussler hallmarks: the cutting-edge technology, the treacherous men and exotic women, and, of course, the fabulous plots.

On a quiet Greek island, a U.S. air force base has come under attack—by a World War I fighter plane. . . .

Now it is up to Dirk Pitt, Al Giordino, and the rest of the NUMA team to root out the elusive truth behind the incident—and find out how it’s connected to mysterious acts of sabotage against a scientific expedition, an international smuggling ring, and a dark-haired beauty with some dangerous secrets.

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Read an Excerpt

Chapter One Major Dirk Pitt adjusted the headset on his thick black hair and slowly turned the channel crank on the radio, trying to fine-tune the reception. He listened intently for a few moments, his dark, sea-green eyes rejecting a trace of bewilderment. A frown cut his forehead in a series of grooves and hung there in the tanned leathery skin.

It wasn't that the words crackling over the receiver weren't understandable. They were. He just didn't believe them. He listened again, and listened hard over the droning roar of the PBY Catalina's twin engines. The voice he heard was fading, when it should have been getting stronger. The volume control was turned to fu11-on, and Brady Field was only thirty miles away. Under those conditions, the air trainee operator's voice should have blasted Pitt's eardrums out. The operator is either losing power or he's seriously injured, thought Pitt. He pondered a minute and then reached over to his right and shook the sleeping figure in the co-pilot's seat. "Come out of it, sleeping beauty." He spoke in a tone that was soft and effortless, yet had a way of making itself heard in a throbbing airplane or a crowded

Captain Al Giordino wearily raised his head and yawned loudly. The fatigue of sitting in an old vibrating PBY flying boat for thirteen hours straight was evident in his dark, bloodshot eyes. He flung his arms upward, puffed out his barrel chest and stretched Then he came erect and leaned forward, peering out in the distance beyond the cockpit windows.

"Are we over the First Attempt yet?" Giordino mumbled through another yawn.

"I intercepted a message from Brady Control that said the field was under attack by an unidentified aircraft."

"You can't be serious," Giordino said incredulously. "It must be some kind of a joke."

"No, I don't think so. The control operator's voice didn't sound like it was faking." Pitt hesitated and kept an eye on the water only fifty feet away as it flashed under the PBY's hull Just for practice he had wave- hopped the last two hundred miles; a means of keeping his reflexes honed and sharp.

"It might he that Brady Control was telling the truth," said Giordino, peering through the cockpit windshield "Look over there toward the eastern part of the island."

Both men stared at the approaching mound rising out of the sea. The beaches bordering the surf were yellow and barren, but the round sloping hills were green with trees The colors danced in the heat waves and vividly contrasted against the encircling blue of the Aegean. On the eastern side of Thasos a large pillar of smoke rose into the windless sky and formed a giant, spiral-shaped, black cloud. The PBY a bow soared closer to the island, and soon they could distinguish the orange movement of flames at the base of the smoke.

Pitt grabbed the mike and pressed the button on the side of the handgrip. "Brady Control, Brady Control, this is PRY-086, over." There was no response. Pitt repeated the call twice more.

"No answer?" queried Giordino.

"Nothing," returned Pitt.

"You said an unidentified aircraft. I take it, that means one?"

"That's precisely what Brady Control said before they went off the air."

"It doesn't nake sense. Why would one plane attack a United States Air Force Base?"

"Who knows," Pitt said, easing the control column back slightly. "Maybe it's an irate Greek farmer who's tired of our jets scaring his goats. Anyway. it can't be a full-scale attack, or Washington would have notified us by now. We'll have to wait and see." He rubbed his eyes and blinked away the drowsiness. "Get ready, I'm going to take her up, circle in ever those hills and come down out of the sun for a closer look."

"Take it nice and easy." Giordino's eyebrows came together and he grinned a serious grin. "This old bus is way overmatched if that's a rocket firing jet down there."

"Don't worry," Pitt laughed, "My main goal in life is to stay healthy as long as possible." He pushed the throttles forward, and the two Pratt & Whitney Wasp engines increased their beat. His large, brown hands moved effciently, pulling back on the control column, and the plane aimed its flat snout at the sun. The big Catalina rose steadily, gaining altitude by the second, and circled above the Thasos mountains in the direction of the smoke cloud.

Suddenly, a voice broke in over Pitt's headset. The unexpected sound nearly deafened his ears before he could lower the volume -- the same voice he heard before, but stronger this time.

"This is Brady Control calling. We are under attack! I repeat, we are under attack! Come in... anybody, please reply!" The voice was near hysteria.

Pitt replied, "Brady Control, this is PRY-086. Over."

"Thank God, someone answered," the voice gasped.

"I tried to raise you before, Brady Control, but you faded and went off the air."

"I was hit in the first attack, I...I must have passed out. I'm all right now." The words sounded broken, but coherent.

"We're approximately ten miles west of you at six thousand feet." Pitt spoke slowly and did not repeat his position. "What is your situation?"

"We have no defense. All our aircraft were destroyed on the ground. The nearest interceptor squadron is seven hundred miles away. They'll never get here in time. Can you assist?"

Pitt shook his head from side to side from habit. "Negative Brady Control. My top speed is under one hundred ninety knots and l only have a couple of rifles on board. We'd be wasting our time engaging a jet."

"Please assist," the voice pleaded. "Our attacker is no a jet bomber but a World War I biplane. I repeat, our attacker is a World War I biplane. Please assist."

Pitt and Giordino merely looked at each other, dumbfounded. It was a full ten seconds before Pitt could pull his senses back into reign.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

I read this book around 1980, given to me by my brother after he finished. What a great start it was to the world of Clive Cussler (CC). We had just returned from two years in Turkey, so the geographical references were bright and spot on. I really enjoyed how CC so aptly described the details of not only the locations, but down to the way a dress would lay on the curvaceous body of Dirk's woman du jour.
I could not read this book fast enough, taking no more than a day and a half, interrupted only due to the hour in which I started being so close to bedtime. I read as much as I could before falling to sleep.
As his first Dirk Pitt novel, CC did show his Freshman writing, but he grabs the reader by the neck and shoves the adventure down your throat.
The seemingly non-stop action, coupled with a string theory collaboration of characters is a tremendous formula for success. It all leads to the first of so many "Only Dirk, Al, and the Good Guys/Girls can avert Global destruction by following insignificant clues" scenarios.
It also lead to a 30+ year family CC book swap meet between my brother and I, where one of us buys the newest release, devours it, then sends it to the other on a rotating basis. Thanks for all the memories, sir.

Guest

More than 1 year ago

Although definitely not the best Cussler novel, it's definitely worth the read if you're a fan, and unlike later Pitt novels, this one is a quick read at just a few hundred pages.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

The Dirk Pitt¿ novels are just s great as the Kurt Austin¿ series. Gooo... Clive Cussler. He's the best writer in my book collection. Gooo... NUMA¿!

Forget what my wife wrote up there before(only one star) shes just pissed because i like his books more than having sex with her, its great and i plan to read it over and over

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

By far the best Clive Cussler I've read yet.
From the first page you are into the action and suspense. It's not a particularly lengthy book, only a little over 200 pages so the fast action and exciting story makes this a great read for the long plane ride or a vacation read. Dirk Pitt is my kind of guy!!

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Fairly good but the best durk pitt is cyclops by far.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

A fun and quick read. Great for reading on an airplane or while traveling. Basically, its like reading an Indiana Jones movie. Lots of action, very fast-paced, and the plot doesn't really matter (and doesn't have to be believable). Have fun with this book!

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Love all clive cusslers books, tgis one was great

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

This was my firt Clive Cussler book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Kept you reading to see what happened next. Highly recommend!

Shatman

More than 1 year ago

Highly recommend. Have read many but went back to series #1 with Dirk Pitt to start from beginning. A page turner that you cannot put down. The tie in to possible historic events is a plus. This is perfect for a relaxing weekend. Enjoy

Reader53TX

More than 1 year ago

The VERY early Cussler was fun entertainment but a little rough around the edges. The plot was far fetched (aren't they all) and the hero was a little raw. Later efforts improved greatly, but I still enjoyed this one.

Guest

More than 1 year ago

Dirk Pitt is one of my favorite characters in the world of books and he's making his debut in this whirlwind thriller. Cussler's early writing is defintitely not his best but it's still pretty good. The farther you get into the book the more detail comes into the writing. All the events weaved nicely and I was reading furiously for one action scene. One of my complaints is that Pitt seems a little stern in this novel but Clive explains that he's trying to regruop after losing someone(see Pacific Vortex!). And the biggest complaint I have is that the final scene does not live up to the endings of Clive's other works. The ending just seemed to happen with no action. Overall, it's nice and short with alot of punch and you can't help but read the next page. 4 out of 5 and a nice Christmas gift for any book lover.

AMA001

More than 1 year ago

Unlike what I am used to reading but enjoyed the story and recommend.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Kegmeister

More than 1 year ago

Overall, the story line and character development is typical Clive Cussler. However, the character treatment of women is very sexist which reminds me of the fact the original manuscript was several decafes ago. I doubt that describing a relationship with a woman in a cavalier manner as one in which the honorable protagonist says he "laid her" would be acceptable today.
In fact, the early Dirk Pitt comes off as being chauvanistic. So, if you don't mind that...enjoy!